Here's why the 2024-25 Gastonia, Shelby high school basketball season was one for the books
Oshauna Holland and the Stuart Cramer girls basketball team didn’t leave Winston-Salem with what it came for Friday evening, falling to Western Alamance 76-58 in the NCHSAA 3A state final. Nevertheless, the Storm junior standout left those at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum more than enough to remember her by.
On the state’s grandest stage, Holland’s final act of the 2024-25 high school basketball campaign saw her score a career-high 49 points to go with seven rebounds, albeit in a losing effort. Her previous career-high was 47 points, scored Jan. 25, 2024 in a 76-19 win over Kings Mountain.
“I thought we had to hold her under 50; if we did that I thought we’d be OK,”said Western Alamance girls basketball coach Tooey Loy following Friday’s state final. “She’s a great player; give her credit, she’s a great player.”
Holland scored a total of 919 points this season, averaging just shy of 29 points per game along with 8.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 5.3 steals. This season, she surpassed 2,000 career points and helped the Storm to within a game of a state championship.
However, her greatest attributes may have been revealed in defeat. Finding the strength to smile in a moment of extreme pain, Holland lauded her program and community for a memorable season, while also doing her best to convince teammates to keep their heads held high.
For Stuart Cramer girls basketball coach Carey Pohlman, it’s what makes Holland the total package — on and off the court.
“(Holland is) impressive. I’m just glad I get a front row seat,” said Pohlman. “Amazing, she can score at every level, she can do it all. She’s a coach out there, she’s so smart, she does everything the right way, she’s a great person.”
Holland’s brilliance amidst Cramer’s championship chase was one of the top storylines during the 2024-25 high school basketball season. Here are other superlatives from this past winter.
Record-setters
Points seemed to come easily for Lincolnton’s L.J. Smith and Bessemer City’s Tionna Pettus this past season.
After matching a state record with 65 points in a November win over North Gaston, Pettus flirted with the NCHSAA single-season average scoring mark set by former Terry Sanford standout Shea Ralph (39.1). She fell just shy of the record, finishing with 38.6 points per game.
As for Smith, he set a new NCHSAA sophomore scoring record with 960 points. He finished just shy of a double-double with 33.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
Top rivalry series
Lincolnton-Maiden boys; Maiden took the first two, but Lincolnton took the most important games of the four-game set, taking a 70-69 win in the Catawba Valley 2A title game and a 72-69 overtime victory in the second round of the NCHSAA 2A playoffs.
Others considered: Hunter Huss-Ashbrook boys; Burns-Shelby girls; Stuart Cramer-South Point girls; Hunter Huss-Crest boys
Best game
Hunter Huss boys 90, Crest 84 (Feb. 18); Huss’ Jaleel Smith dropped a game-high 40 points, outdueling Crest’s Lyrik Pettis to help the Huskies secure a hard-fought win. Despite shots being contested, Huss shot 64% from the field while Crest was 50%.
Others considered: Lincolnton boys 70, Maiden 69 (Feb. 21); Stuart Cramer girls 57, South Point 56 (Feb. 4).
Best conference
Big South 3A; a tight race throughout, the league flexed its muscle in the postseason with three of the NCHSAA 3A West playoffs’ final four teams hailing from Big South 3A (Ashbrook, Crest, Hunter Huss). On any given night, playoff qualifiers Forestview, Kings Mountain and South Point also had potential to light up the scoreboard.
Others considered: Catawba Valley 2A boys; Big South 3A girls.
Underrated name you need to know…
Happy Arune, Gaston Christian; a season after averaging a double-double with better than 12 points and 11 rebounds, the 6-foot-7 Arune upped her tally in both this past season by finishing with career-highs in scoring (14.9) and rebounds (14.6).
Others you need to know: Jaishawn Woods, South Point; Jadon Beam, Burns; Ashlyn Black, North Lincoln
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Why the 2024-25 Gastonia, Shelby hoops season was one for the history books
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